Breaking Into Commercial Photography

TABLE of CONTENTS
PART I
PART II
4 INTRO
4
What is Commercial Photography?
6 Takeaways for Staying Authentic in

the World of Commercial Photography
9 PROFILES
9
PART III
Breaking Into Commercial Photography:

Chrissy Lynn
15
How to Make Your Marketing Hum:

Emiliano Granado
20
How to Make Shoot Day a Success &

Keep Clients Happy: Steve Giralt
24
Integrating Your Personal Style into

Commercial Work: Kareem Black
29
Buyer Interview: Cali Capodici
32 CONCLUSION
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BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

THE PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO TWITTER
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PART I
What Is
Commercial
Photography?
What is Commercial Photography?

ommercial photography is photography that
is used by a client to sell a product, service or
idea. It may well be the largest area of professional photography, and probably the most lucrative.
Companies or organizations hire commercial photographers to create everything from simple catalog images to
billboard-ready campaigns in Times Square. Magazine
ads, product packaging, website branding, brochures,
tour bus wrapscommercial photography can end up
anywhere a marketer can dream up.
As the commercial photographer, youre responsible for
showcasing products and merchandise in a way that will
compel an audience to buy. Without those sales, both
you and the client are out of luck, so its no wonder why
the world of commercial photography is often associated with high stress situations, characterized by big
budgets and big pressure from clients.
Types of Commercial Clients

Opportunities to get hired for commercial work abound.
From small businesses in a small town to multi-national
corporations in big cities, businesses everywhere need
photography to help sell and promote what theyre doing. Even if your niche or focus is more topic-driven,
like nature photography, for instance, there are likely
commercial clients out there who are looking for your
type of work.
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY: If you excel at taking crisp,

clear still life shots, companies that sell products through
websites and catalogs can keep you busy. Even some bigbudget ad campaigns often cut through the clutter by focusing on simple yet creative product shots.
Examples: Fashion brands or any type of product
manufacturer.
FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY: If your focus is fashion, this
is a big, glamorous category, but competition may be fierce.
Examples: Clothing and footwear brands, retailers.
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: It takes special skill to make
food look good in a photo. If you can do it well, there
are lots of opportunities beyond editorial photography.
Examples: Restaurants, food manufacturers.
ADVENTURE/TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY: At first glance,
the style might not seem to translate to commercial

photography, but any brand that wants to inspire a sense
of adventure could use a photographer that knows how
to get good shots.
Examples: Outdoor gear brands, departments of tourism, sporting goods, travel companies.
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: If taking photos of people
is your thing, commercial opportunities abound.

Examples: Service-focused companies, organizations or
universities; small business owners; musicians; artists;
authors; professionals.
Here are some ideas of how to parlay different niches

into commercial work:
Pricing and Negotiating Commercial

Photography
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Despite the demand for commercial photography, competition for work can be tough. One reason? Its among
the highest-paid areas of photography. Yes, a plum commercial campaign can bring in a lot of money, but until
you get to that point, youll probably work for smaller
businesses with smaller budgets.
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When it comes to structuring your fees for commercial photography, Bill Cramer, founder and CEO of
Wonderful Machine, a curated directory of photographers, says that each project a photographer works on
will come with a unique set of pricing requirements (for
both the production and licensing) and therefore its
important for the photographer to know what to consider before delivering a quote.
Here are key questions to ask before sending an estimate to a client:
>>What needs to be photographed? Will there

be people involved?
>>Will the photos be taken in a studio or on
location?
>>How many shots do you need in a day?
>>Will you need to scout and find new locations? Will a studio need to be rented?
>>If the shoot is on location, will a production
RV be needed?
>>Do you need a stylist to shop for clothing or
props and return it after the shoot?
For any assignment, says Cramer, you should be prepared to answer questions about creative and production expectations. Learn how a client plans to use the
images, and detail all of these items in a thorough cost
estimate to be delivered with a terms and conditions
document, he says.
Negotiating Contracts & Licenses

Once you have a full understanding of what the client
needs, you can put together an estimate for the job. Here
are some categories to consider:
PRODUCTION COSTS: Do you need to rent a studio or
equipment? Hire a stylist or rent props? Buy the crew

lunch? All of the expenses involved with producing the
shoot should be accounted for and estimated.
CREATIVE FEE OR DAY RATE: While this sounds like an

arbitrary fee based on what you think your creative skills
are worth, it should actually be more precise than that.
This category should include calculation of your overhead expenses and what you need to be paid for your
time to earn a living. NPPA has a good calculator for
working this number out.
LICENSING FEES: As the photographer, you hold the
copyright to the images you create; a licensing fee is

what the client pays you to use those images. This is
where its important to find out exactly how the images
will be used and for how long. Will they be used on
collateral, like in a brochure or packaging? Will they
be used in an ad campaign? The licensing fee should be
based on the amount of exposure your images will have
and how much revenue they are expected to bring in.
Toronto photographer Peter House suggests basing this
fee on a percentage of the clients media buy, or the
amount they are spending to buy advertising space. For
more info about licensing, ASMP has a good guide.
The next question to ask the client, says Agency Access photographer consultant Andrea Maurio is, do you
have any wiggle room? And then explain the reason for
asking. The more you can explain your needs, the better. That way a photo editor can go back to his or her
boss and justify why youre asking for more money, she
says. If youve gone through the above list and can point
to specific job requirements that the quote wont cover,
youre much more likely to come away with what you
need to do the job.
Marketing & Pitching Commercial

Clients
As with any area of photography, marketing your services to commercial clients is an important part of your
business mix. Potential clients are everywhere, but when
youre just starting out, figuring out how to connect with
the right ones can be daunting. Here are some tips:
DEFINE YOUR FOCUS
A good place to start is with your own work. Chrissy

Lynn, a San Francisco-based commercial photographer,
stresses the importance of figuring out your own niche
and point of view in order to attract clients. Pick five
words that you want to describe your work, she says.
Then let those words guide everything you do, from
choosing photos for your portfolio to targeting clients.
Once you have a point of view, then theres value, she
says. Then people are coming to you for your style and
ability and are willing to pay for that.
BUILD A STRONG BRAND AND PORTFOLIO
Whether its your website, portfolio or a mailed promo,

everything should be put through the filter of your
brand identity, says David Walter Banks, an Atlantabased commercial photographer. If you want to shoot
edgy youth culture, you should not include photos of
seniors laughing on the beach. But if you want to target drug companies, then your seniors laughing on the
beach may be just perfect. Check out our free guide,
10 Branding Secrets for Photographers for more tips
on how to build your brand.
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BUILD YOUR NETWORK
People make deals with people, says Kareem Black, a

New York-based commercial photographer. Thats why
he recommends getting out and meeting people, whether its informal networking with friends of friends or attending professional photography events in your area.
Show your work to as many people as possible, he says.
In a competitive market like commercial photography,
the adage its who you know often rings true.
TARGET A RANGE OF POTENTIAL CLIENTS
If youre new to commercial photography, start-ups

and small businesses could be good starter clients as
you build your body of work. When Chrissy Lynn was
building the fashion side of her businesses, she targeted
local designers who looked like they could use better
photography on their websites. Of the five or six people
I reached out to, one of them is still a client, she says.
While youre targeting smaller clients, Chrissy Lynn
recommends making a list of your dream clients. As you
gain more confidence, reach out to [those dream clients] directly when you have work to show.
REACH OUT DIRECTLY
You have to be brave, says Emiliano Granado, a

Brooklyn, N.Y.-based photographer. You have to learn
to put yourself out there and not get a response. When
he comes across a new agency that piques his interest,
he tries to find out who the art directors are and sends
them a postcard or email to try to set up a meeting.
When bidding for a job, Frank Meo, creator of thephotocloser.com, a search engine that promotes photographers,
recommends writing a creative brief about why you want
the job. This is an unfiltered way of showing how dedicated you are, she says. Going that extra mile will help
you stand out.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
If Im sitting with an art buyer, I should really know everything about her ad agency and what accounts she has,
if I can find out, so that when Im sitting with her I can actually talk business, says Meo. Use LinkedIn or Twitter
to get a little information without being a spy. You want to
know whether so-and-so is always tough or whether soand-so always gives good feedback. If you shoot animals
you dont really want to talk to someone who is on airlines.
You want to talk to someone on the Purina account. Its
all part of that due diligence to find out.
FOLLOW UP AND KEEP IN TOUCH
Once you secure a clientor even just make a connection with a potential clientdont think you can stop
marketing to them. Make sure to show your appreciation, keep in touch and show them how youre career is
evolving. Existing and past clients are your very best
source of work for the future, says New York-based
photographer Steve Giralt. Not keeping in touch
means you dont care about getting more work from
them in the future.
FIND A WAY TO STAND OUT
In a competitive landscape, blanket email blasts and onesize-fits-all promos wont cut it. Chrissy Lynn hand-selects each potential client, and she tries to create promos
that an art director would want to prop on their desk, so
when that project comes around that your work could be
a fit for, you will be remembered, she says.
PART I
6 Takeaways
for Staying
Authentic in
the World of
Commercial
Photography
e talked to one of our favorite commercial

photographers, Alexa Miller, whose focus
on relaxed yet vibrant lifestyle photography
has made her a success in the commercial market
and a stand out in the helter skelter world of commercial photography.
Alexas clients include big names like Polaroid, Columbia Sportswear, Ski Utah, Mens Health, Cosmpolitan,
Outside magazine, and more. Shes been able to conserve
her knack for capturing real moments and authentic
emotions, which is likely why these clients keep returning to her for repeat business.
Whats the secret to breaking into such a high-profile
industry and still maintaining a sense of authenticity?
Here are her six takeaways:
1 You dont have to start out living in
1.
New York City or L.A.
This is definitely the notion among commercial photographers looking to make it. Because of that, everyone goes to those cities and then the markets become over-saturated. On top of that, many companies
no longer have the budget to send photographers on
location. That means theyre seeking out commercial
photographers in their destination of choice. Take a
hint from Alexa, who, before relocating to Venice
Beach, built up a portfolio of Western U.S. landscapes
while living in Montana for years. Then she took that
book to New York and clients seeking that type of imagery were suddenly ready to hire.
2 Make your dream client listand

2.
make sure it vibes with your style.
Alexa suggests that commercial photographers make a list

of dream clients theyd love to work with, and put their
energy in working toward that goal. You might not get
the cream of the crop in the end, but the exercise will force
you to think about where you might be a good fit and who
would value your skills. Tenacity, perseverance and forcing myself to make those calls and emails, on a schedule,
no matter what is what keeps Alexa moving forward.
3 Get used to cold calling & asking
3.
for in-person meetings.
No one likes cold calling. But for better or worse, it can

be an effective marketing tactic. Thats how Alexa got her
first gigs: Id sometimes call 10-20 times before the client
picked up the phone. Its nerve-wracking! But you have
to catch them live. Then I do a quick intro, and just ask if
they are interested in meeting with a new photographer.
4 Start using story or moodboards to
4.
set expectations before the shoot.
Storyboards give you and your client a direction. It also gives

you a sense of security on the shoot, without making the
process too rigid or contrived. And perhaps most important, it helps ensure that you and the client are on the same
page. Make sure that you understand the clients needs and
visions, beyond just your own, advises Alexa. Once Alexa
feels that shes fulfilled the clients needs, she lets the shoot
run wild, which is sometimes when she gets her most authentic looking shotsthe ones that bring viewers right
into her space, and also the ones her clients love.
5 Dont be afraid to outsource some

5.
of your business.
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Sometimes you just cant do it allat least not everything at full force. Outsourcing parts of your business,
whether thats marketing or editing or accounting, can
be a smart decision for busy commercial photographers.
Or simply because its smarter to let the experts handle
it. Alexa uses Agency Access to help build new lists of
clients to reach out to, and also design her email promos.
This helps her stay on track and focus on the other aspects of her business.
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6 Make a commitment to developing

6.
a brand that reflects who you are.
We cant say it enoughcreating a unique brand that

speaks to your style and personality is key to a successful
photography business. For commercial photographers,
Alexa suggests doing some soul-searching. It might
sound cheesy, but figuring out the truth of who you are
as a person and photographer will help you communicate that to clients.
Photo by Alexa Miller
PROFILE
Breaking into
Commercial
Photography
Featuring Chrissy Lynn
hrissy Lynn got her start in photography in 2000 shooting her friends
bands in Washington, DC. From there, she spent several years dabbling in
documentary, editorial, fine art, interiors and, well, anything else that struck her.
Ive done everything, she says. After some soul searching, she realized should
couldnt keep being a jack-of-all-trades. Now based in San Francisco, this soughtafter photographer has found her niche in lifestyle and fashion shooting for brands
like Google, Salesforce, Rainbeau, and Rand + Statler. Here, she reveals how honing her focus helped her build a successful commercial business.
How did you find your niche and discover your focus in
commercial photography?
About five years ago, I looked at my website and realized I was really struggling to put together a cohesive
body of work. Id done some portraits here, a corporate
job there, and nice interiors. I was under the impression
that I had to put all my jobs up so that people could see
who Ive worked with and what Ive done. There wasnt
a point of view at all. The work looked like five different
photographers shot it. I wasnt happy with that, but I
didnt know how to fix it.
chrissylynn.photoshelter.com
I tried to read some articles and talked to everyone I

knew. I got the advice to pick five words that you want
to describe your work by and five words that actually
describe your workand try to make those lists match.
I like to think my work is authentic, light, intimate,
believable, and inspired. Another photographer might
say dark, moody and dramatic to describe their work.

Write those words down and keep going back to them.
Change them if you have to, but find your point of view.
It has been a helpful way to find my voice and figure
out my style.
How did this change your business?
I get hired for that now. Its a magical thing. A big tech
company just hired me to shoot seven of their top executives. The words that the client kept using were backlit,
full of light, authentic, natural. They looked at my
portfolio and reached out to me directly because of my
style. That doesnt happen that often, but when it does
it feels really good. I have a point of view and someone
sees it. It makes me feel like Im doing all right.
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Photo by Chrissy Lynn
How did you find the time to work on this career reboot?
When I realized I needed to step back and refocus, I took a break from shooting and
took a retouching job at The Gap. It put some money in my pocket. It let me focus on
my photography and not just take on every single job to pay the bills. I took only jobs
that I liked and worked on building my portfolio and finding my photography voice.
Then I started shooting for The Gap. That propelled me into fashion. I started picking
up local boutiques and start-ups in San Francisco. Now Im shooting for some bigger
brands and tech companies.
Why is it important to find a niche?
I think finding a niche is key. Your niche will define your style, which will define
your niche. If your style is minimal and crisp, you probably gravitate more to product
photography, for example. My style is more authentic, intimate, believable. I can really get people to warm up and ease up fairly quickly. Maybe thats a strong suit of
mine and maybe its not a strong suit of others. We all offer different things. Maybe
youre a lighting genius. Im really good with natural light, but some clients need
more than that.
Once you have a point of view and a focus, then theres value. Then people are coming
to you for your style and ability and are willing to pay for that.
What are your tips for new photographers who want to break into commercial photography?
Its really hard, so your mantra has to be stay diligent. Its impossible to fail if you
work hard. I told myself as long as Im diligent and I dont stop working for it Im not
going to fail at it.
Set goals. Put all sense of doubt aside and define your dream job. What would you like
to be shooting thats going to make you happy every day? No one ever gets that all the
time, but its good to know and define that. Then you can take steps in that direction.
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How can you build up your portfolio before you have clients?
One thing you can do is reach out to a local modeling or casting agency. Youd be surprised how great that can work out. Tell them youre a budding photographer and want
to build your book in executive portraits. Ask if they have talent that needs examples
like that for their portfolio. Its totally worth it because then youre building a relationship with an agency and other professionals out there are seeing your work. I still do
testing with new models to try concepts I want to work out.
Do you have any tips for f inding clients that may be open to working with new
photographers?
When I was building my book in fashion photography, I Googled San Francisco fashion designers and looked for websites that could use better photography. If I really
liked their brand, I reached out to them. When I reach out, Im super friendly, but with
a purpose, and I think people are receptive to that. Of the five designers that I reached
out to, one of them is now a client. Its important to reach out directly to people you
want to work for because theyre not looking for you.
Theres not a lot of money in editorial work, but you can get a lot of experience working
with editors and writers. Youll meet interesting people and get tear sheets.
I also think its important to pick your dream clients and reach out to them directly,
when youre ready, when you have the work to show. That comes with gaining a level
of confidence behind your work. When youre creating photography that is from your
heart and you truly love doing it, it comes through in the imagery. When you love what
youre doing, you stand behind it and youre more confident about your work. And then
youre more confident to reach out to that dream client that might seem unreachable to
you. Just reach out to them, you have nothing to lose.
What promotional tools do you use to reach out to clients youd like to work for?
I use email marketing lists and targeted promos. I hand-select every one of my clients
as opposed to sending lots of emails to a big list from a database. I think its important
to make it personal. Then its real.
When youre creating photography that

is from your heart and you truly love
doing it, it comes through in the imagery.
I use an email template with one hero image thats my favorite at the moment or something thats tailored to them, and then three links to galleries with smaller thumbnails
of recent projects and a link to my website. I send emails through MailChimp, which
lets me see whos opening and clicking through them. If theyre clicking around, theyve
spent a little more time. If I really want to work with that person, I send them a direct
mail piece.
When I create direct mail promos, I try to visualize whats going to happen when they
open that package. Are they going to want to hang this up or prop it on their desk?
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You want them to have that picture by their desk so when that project comes around
that your work could be a good fit for, you will be remembered. Occasionally I get a call
from these pieces, but no one ever calls you right away.
How do you prepare for a meeting with a new client about a job?
I usually do a lot of research on the company to see who the people are and get an idea
of what kind of revenue the company is generating. The meeting often involves educating them a little bit about usage licenses and image licensing. I learned that the hard
way early in my career.
What happened?
I shot some product photography for a little company before they were anybody. They
bought the shots from me for a very fair price. Later, the company contacted me wanting the high-res images for a billboard spot. I drew up a new purchase order for the
new usage, and I never heard from them again. I found out that they had blown up my
images to use on the side of three tour buses. There was tons of usage that I didnt get
compensated for.
I think that its really important when starting out to realize the value of your work and
be sure to have the terms-of-use clearly stated. Dont be afraid that youll lose a client
because youre standing behind the value of your work.
What are your tips for quoting commercial jobs?
No two jobs are alike, so I definitely say research the client, get a clear understanding of
the scope of the project, and never give a quote in the first conversation. Ive shot myself
in the foot before by giving a quote too early without a real understanding of the scope
of the job. Ask a lot of questions. How many images do they want? What is the usage
for those? Are we going to be indoors or outdoors? Can I have a scout day or do I need
a scout day? Do we need hair and makeup or a wardrobe stylist?
A lot of times, asking people to give me a clear understanding of the job prompts
them to ask more questions within their teams. A lot of times people dont always
think about the total usage or if they will ever want to use the shots for a billboard,
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for example. Most people want unlimited use, unrestricted, but they dont realize that
they never need that. Usually I find out what they want and Ill send them a quote for
unlimited usage for them to share. Then Ill give them a quote for what they will likely
use the photos for so they can see a range of what photography is really valued at and
what it really costs. Ill give at least two estimates for a big commercial job.
Are there any other mistakes youve made that photographers could learn from?
Dont sell yourself short. Ive done that so many times. There was a steady client I had for a
few years, but I was working for a rate that wasnt really making me any money. At that time
I was still building my fashion portfolio so I looked at working with her as a way to build
that, but when she couldnt wiggle up to a reasonable rate, I eventually had to fire that client.
Not giving away your photography is very important to the integrity of the industry.
Its really important to understand the value of photography, and thats a really hard
thing to define when youre starting out.
How do you decide which jobs to take?
There are three things I like to consider for every job: Is the money good, is it good for
my portfolio, and will I make a good connection with a person or company thats in the
direction that I want to keep going in. If I can hit on two of those three things, then its
a solid deal. Sometimes its just for the money, but if youre just starting out, it would be
good to hit on at least one of those three things.
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PART II
How to Make Your

Marketing Hum
Featuring Emiliano Granado
miliano Granado picked up a camera in 2001 as a hobby. He was working at a New York advertising agency and didnt like it at all, so he decided
to take a class at International Center of Photography. It snowballed into a new
career, and he was able to quit his job in 2005 and start freelancing as an assistant
while shooting personal work. He got his first assignments in 2007.
Today, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based photographers portfolio includes work for commercial brands like Converse, Nike and Smirnoff. Granado is also a founder
of Yonder Journal and Manual for Speed, two creative
projects partially underwritten by brands.
I dont think of myself as specializing in one thing,
Granado says. I do quite a bit documentary style work,
but also commercial and lifestyle stuff, portraiture and
more humorous and youth culture stuff.
Here, Granado gives insight into his marketing strategy,
which he describes as a constant, pleasant background
hum. Not a series of loud pops and bangs.
What types of clients are you trying to attract? Who are
some of your favorites or ideal clients?
emilianogranado.com
Im kind of all over the place. I think its great that I

speak many languages, but sometimes it can be difficult
to market yourself. Since I do so many things, Im trying
to attract a bunch of different clients. Im definitely interested in portraiture. But Im also looking for lifestyle/
youth culture clients, as well as sports, athletics, and
outdoor stuff. And because I think Im pretty versatile,

spontaneous and shoot a lot compared to other photographers, Im well suited to shoot large image libraries
for brands.
I have a long relationship with Outlier Clothing that
exemplifies the type of client I like. I get to shoot portraits, fashion, outdoors, in-studio and athletic style images for them. They are fusing tech, fashion and motion
into one brand, so I get to flex different muscles.
Where do you focus most of your marketing efforts? Why?
You can choose to market yourself with big, loud tactics.
Ive chosen a slower approach with my marketing; Ill
call it white noise marketing. The secret for me has
been to continue to produce quality images and quietly
remind people about them. To do this, I like to send
people anywhere from five to eight postcards a year and
usually write something funny and personalized on the
back. Id hate to be the photographer version of a used
car salesman with loud gimmicks and cheap suits. Thats
not the association I want people to make when they
think about my work.
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The focus for me has always been and will always be

make good work. Of course, I can do things to help
promote that work, but if it sucks to begin with, then Im
failing. Ill continue to self publish and create personal
workthat is essential to me as a human and as a brand.
How does this translate into new and returning clients?
Every year since I started getting work, my business has
progressively improved. The assignments get better. The
budgets get bigger. I cant really say any one thing is getting me new clients. But the cumulative efforts of producing good work and showing people that work over
the last 10 years is yielding results.
Whats your digital marketing strategy? There are so many
outlets these days; what do you find the most effective?
Ive given up on several digital formats recently. I simply
dont have the time to make them compelling or interesting. They become a Hey, look what I shot thing, and
that gets boring.
So Ive honed it down to Instagram, a (almost) quarterly
newsletter, and very infrequent Facebook and tumblr
posts. Also, when I have a new project, Ill share it with
blogs or content aggregators. Depending on the project,
I would share it with the editors at the photo blogs for
The New Yorker, MSNBC or Time Lightbox. For press
I try to share everything with PDN, but then I try to
cast a wider net and have built relationships with design and art blogs like Its Nice That, Coolhunting, etc.
There are several cool small-scale photo blogs/aggregators that make sense for me like Flak Photo, Lintroller,
Paper Journal, etc.
Photo by Emiliano Granado
How much time to you devote to marketing efforts?

Whats your workflow like for fitting it all in?
I think about marketing quite a bit. I like to send emails
and introduce myself to potential clients and influencers. You have to build your network in order for that
network to pay off for you.
I dont have an established workflow for it. Between

travel, shooting, family, trying to ride my bike and everything else, you find some time here and there to try
to reach a new potential client. If I find out about a new
agency doing cool things from a blog or Instagram post,
I try to find out who the art directors are and send them
postcards. Maybe Ill email them and try to set up a
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meeting. It depends on how much free time I have and

how brave Im feeling that day.
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And that hits an important point. You have to be brave.

You have to learn to put yourself out there and not get
a response from someone. In general, youll reach out to
100 people and only 20 of them will respond, and of those
youll only ever meet five of them in person and maybe
one of those people hires you down the line two years
from now. So you just spent several hours trying to reach
100 people and you failed 99 times. But that one person . . .
III
Can you explain your online $10 print sales?

I published a new photo every week in 2014 and made 3
prints of it and sold it for $10 each. Just enough to break
even. You can still see all the photos on www.quesofrito.com.
It was about forcing myself to publish work that was sitting on my hard drives. It was also a way to get people
excited about the work that I was excited about. I had
to honor those images by putting them into the world.
Otherwise, no one would have ever seen them.
Can you point to some specific successes that have come directly from your marketing efforts?
You have to be brave. You have to learn to put

yourself out there and not get a response from
someone.
I can think of two really specific successes. Many years

ago, I found a cool new agency somewhere on the Internet. They had just started out and were doing some cool
small projects. I found their address and sent them a postcard with a funny message. They really liked it and posted
it on their blog. I eventually met them in person to say
hi. We stayed friendly for years, and last year they asked
me to shoot a really great project for a big athletic brand.
Back in 2008, I published a newsprint publication called
Thank God Thats Over. It was a humorous photo es-
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say taken on a five-day cruise from New Jersey to Bermuda. It was every bit as awful as you can imagine. To
this day, people still reference that newsprint thing. I
learned that to make good photos is not enough. You
have to package them up nicely and deliver it to the
world in a format they will enjoy.
What marketing dos and donts have you learned along the
way to attract the clients you want?
I try to engage potential clients the way Id want to be
engaged myself. Dont be annoying, dont be pushy, dont
be irrelevant. Be entertaining, be yourself, speak candidly, dont be a robot, spellcheck, use pretty colors.
What advice do you have for new photographers about

how to market to commercial clients in todays changing
photography landscape?
You have to approach this whole thing as a long-term
thing. Just because a photo editor followed you on Instagram doesnt mean youre going to get a job. Just because they responded to your email doesnt mean youre
going to shoot the cover. Youre going to bid a thousand
jobs and not get any of them. Youre going to strike out
a million times before you get any jobs. No one owes you
a damn thing. Its a slow, slow process, so bunker down
for the long haul. The only thing that you can control is
your creative output. Make sure its fire.
The only thing that you can

control is your creative
output. Make sure its fire.
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PART II
How to Make
Shoot Day a
Success & Keep
Clients Happy
Featuring Steve Giralt
ow based in New York City, Steve Giralt is a first-generation Cuban

American photographer originally from Miami. He shoots for a variety of commercial and editorial clients including Starbucks, PepsiCo, GE,
Smuckers, Captain Morgan, Johnston and Murphy, and Victorias Secret.
Here, he shares how he expanded his original focus as a travel photographer
into a well-rounded client base, and other tips on making shoots go well and
keeping clients happy.
How did you get started as a photographer?
I started out in photography working for my high
school newspaper, then after graduation got a job at a
high school portrait studio in Miami where I worked
for four years. I eventually transferred to Rochester
Institute of Technology. At RIT I explored many different genres of photography from fashion to still life,
but my senior year I decided to try to pursue travel
photography.
I moved to New York City in 2002 and started working
as a photo assistant, digital tech and photo retoucher. A
few months later I got my first shooting jobs for Saveur
magazine and Budget Travel. In 2005, I was selected as
one of PDN magazines 30 emerging photographers to
watch. After three years working as an assistant, I transitioned into shooting full-time.
How did you leverage your travel photography to get

commercial work?
Over the next few years I slowly moved away from travel photography and instead started breaking down the
work into separate portfolios and showing my work in a
different way. As a travel photographer I would photograph people, architecture, food, still life and landscape.
I decided it would be better to market myself in these
different genres individually instead of grouping them
all under the label travel photographer. I had clients
who would hire me to shoot food, some who would hire
me to shoot portraits, some for still life, etc.
I now shoot for a mix of advertising, editorial, catalog
and corporate clients in the genres of food, still life, portraits, motion and interiors. I really dont have a niche,
which is rare for a New York photographer, but if I had
choose one, Id say its always coming up with creative
solutions to problems for my clients.
stevegiralt.com
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Photo by Steve Giralt
What are your tips for making shoot day a success? How do you solve problems or anticipate
issues that may come up?
It really depends on the shoot but in general, communication is key to make sure that the
shoot day goes successfully. I find many photographers, especially young photographers,
are scared to ask clients questions. It is important to think of every what-if scenario
before a shoot to make sure you know what youve agreed to. Most of the hard thinking
and problem solving for a shoot is done before shoot day so that shoot day goes smoothly.
Putting together a great crew is also really important and making sure everyone on the
team is aware of what they need to do. This is why we have conference calls and pre-pro
books that lay out all the info for the shoot.
A pre-pro book is a document which, depending on the job, is either made by the producer on a job, the photographer himself, the photographers agent, or the producer at
the agency. It contains all relevant information to the job that is going to be shot: the
creative brief, call sheet, layouts and swipe related to the job, production schedule, and
more depending on the job. On big jobs, a few days before the job, the client, agency,
21
photographer, and stylist all get on a conference call to go through the pre-pro book
and make sure everyone is on the same page as to what will be happening on shoot day.
II
On shoot day the job of the photographer is to make sure that the client is happy with
the images made, and that they enjoy the experience of making those images as a team.
For repeat business I find it is important that not only the images made were great, but
the experience was great.
III
How do you manage working with stylists, make-up artists, producers, etc., and getting the
best work possible from them?
When one gets their start in photography, they usually begin as a one-man team. The
longer I shoot, the more I have come to learn the importance of a great team. Im
constantly looking for new stylists to work with as every new project I take on has
new needs. For example with food stylists, some may be great for food, but not great
for beverages, or some may be great for editorial stories, but not great for advertising.
Knowing how to assemble a great team is vital to a photographers success in the world
of commercial photography. I find getting the best work out of a stylist is usually a
matter or hiring the right stylist for the right job. This is where having a good network
of friends in the industry is great. I usually hire new stylists almost entirely based on
referrals from people I know or from agents I know well and know the way I work. Its
hard to know how good a stylist may be from just looking at their portfolio, often times
Id rather meet them in person first before using them on a job.
Whats the secret to great customer service and keeping a new client coming back for more
after a shoot?
Be grateful! Very, very grateful! I frequently send thank you notes to clients after shoots,
even clients who I have worked with for a decade. Just because someone has hired you
in the past doesnt mean they will hire you again in the future. Treat every job as your
first job with the same level of dedication and importance. Make sure you spend more
time listening to your client than talking at them.
Also, I thank my clients twice a year for their generosity. Once a year I throw a big party
and invite all my clients and people who have been good to me, and then at Christmas
time I always send a gift to all the clients who hired me that calendar year. I try to get
22
The world often throws

curve balls at you on
a shoot, but a good
photographer hits those
curve balls out of the
park every time.
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really creative with the gift I send to show I really care, and often there is a hand-made
aspect to the gifts. One year I made cutting boards in my woodshop for each of them;
another year I sent framed prints.
Do you have any shoot day dos or donts you can share?
The photographer must always be confident and in control of whatever is going on. The
world often throws curve balls at you on a shoot, but a good photographer hits those
curve balls out of the park every time. Plenty of unexpected things have happened to
me on shoots, how I handled those things is why I get hired.
No matter what happens, as a commercial photographer you need to think fast and
come up with solutions to difficult problems. Whether it means sending someone out
to buy a new table-top oven when the oven in your studio stops working, or renting a
car and driving when a flight gets cancelled (both of which have happened to me), the
client expects you to do everything possible to make sure a shoot happens as planned.
If you fail to do that, you may not get hired again.
What are some mistakes youve made in the past others could learn from?
Losing touch with old clients would have to be the worst of the mistakes I regret. The
fact that someone took a chance to hire me, I shot the job they hired me to do, then I
lost touch, is horrible. Existing and past clients are your very best source of work for
the future, and not staying in touch means you dont care about getting more work from
them in the future.
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PROFILE
Integrating Your
Personal Style
into Commercial
Work
Featuring Kareem Black
areem Black graduated from the School for Visual Arts in 2000 when the
economy was flush, and he quickly found work for clients like The Fader,
GQ, Elle Girl, Sony Music Entertainment and Atlantic Records. Featured in 2005
as one of Photo District News 30 Emerging Photographers, Black is now known for
both his top-notch studio abilities as well has his talent for capturing the frenetic
energy of New Yorks party scene. This New York-based photographer had a lot to
share with us about marrying personal work with commercial clients.
How did you get started with commercial clients?
When I graduated in 2000, the economy was really
great. I started to shoot for a lot of people that, if the
economy was otherwise, I wouldnt have been able to.
I was getting hired for a lot of jobs that I wasnt really
qualified for. I was shooting for a lot of music magazines
and websites. From those connections, I started to shoot
for The Fader, which was more artsy.
I was going out a lot and meeting people. A lot of my
business has come from just meeting people out. My
first ad campaign came from a connection I made out
at a function. I showed him my book. We shot a small
smoking-awareness campaign. After that we shot a
Cingular campaign that was my first big campaign.
Then I started shooting for Verizon based on a friend of
the person who I was shooting Cingular for. That was all
from word of mouth.
kareemblack.com
Now that photography is more competitive, how do you

stand out?
There are so many good photographers that it almost
doesnt matter how good you are. If youre good there
are hundreds of photographers who are that technically good. So its about finding your own vision. When
I started, I didnt know what I wanted to say with my
photography. But I was good at light, I was good with
people, and that was really important.
How have you turned your personal work into something commercial clients will hire you for?
When Im out and about, I find myself in weird situations. I started taking pictures of these situations, running around and catching moments. Its not so much
about lights and composition, its more about feeling
and energy.
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My clients know I can actually

shoot a campaign and be able to sell
a product, while at the same time
conveying that spontaneous energy.
My previous agent was scared of it because they thought that a lot of it was unprofessional. My current agency is a lot more forward-looking and realized that this is where
the industry was going. They said we should probably do something with this body of
work. I thought they were crazy. Why would people want to see pictures of a lot of
good looking people having a good time in groups? It turns out people like that.
So I started to make a body of work, and I called it Feels Good Lets Go. Lights can be
blown out or imperfect, compositions dont have to be perfect. Expressions dont have
to be perfect, and peoples heads can be cut off. I think that as long as the story is clear
for the viewer, then thats sort of mitigates the aesthetic perfection.
A lot of what I get hired for now is in the vein of Feel Good Lets Go. With that said, I
was just in LA shooting the cover of Cosmo, and it was me with a bunch of lights. The
photos turned out really beautiful. I think its important to be able to do both. I enjoy both.
How do you market these two different styles?
I used to have two websites, my photography site and a Feel Good Lets Go site. My
name wasnt even on it. The contact info was my agents email. Now its integrated into
my site. Its the first thing you come to. Im really proud of that. If someones hiring me
to do that, thats awesome because I was doing that for free already.
How do you translate this personal work for a commercial client?
No ones going to pay me an advertising rate and send me out with a camera to do whatever.
Coming from a more structured background, I understand that were here to do a job. I
Photo by Kareem Black

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think Im pretty good at finding that line of lets get crazy but what do you guys need?
I make sure to know what we are selling and what are the important bullet points to hit.
II
My clients know I can actually shoot a campaign and be able to sell a product, while
at the same time conveying that spontaneous energy. It looks like theres not a lot of
thought, it looks like all kinetic energy, but there really is a lot of thought. We are partying, but the party must stop if the labels not facing the camera.
III
What advice do you have for a photographer who wants to leverage a personal project
into commercial work?
I think people should shoot what they like to shoot, and they should show it to as many
people as possible. Youd be surprisedthere are applications out there for everything.
If it is really personal work, then that means its not everyones thing. This is your thing.
In a lot of ways, we all have to wait until your thing or moment is up. Feel Good Lets
Go happened at the right time. This is whats happening right now in photography. Its
sellable now, but it might not be five years from now.
My other suggestion would be to learn the commercial, technical stuff. Im happy I know
how to use lights and light ratios and retouching because maybe theres a day when my personal work isnt going to be selling and Ill have this other thing to do also. Being a technical
photographer and understanding how photography works is really, really important.
What are some of your biggest challenges of being a commercial photographer?
In a perfect world, a photographer would come on set and take pictures, but there are
a lot of things that happen before that point can be reached. Theres a lot of stuff that
we do that doesnt have anything to do with making pictures. Im on a lot of conference
calls, and I write a lot of treatments explaining what I want to do and how Im going
to do it on a shoot. In most ways, Im OK with being that sort of a politician, but it can
be frustrating. But at the end of the day, its our job. Its better than being in a cubicle.
How do you keep your cool and deliver under pressure when working with big clients?
The photographer is the captain of the ship. If something goes wrong, its always
our fault. It doesnt matter if the make-up artist is late or whatever. The stress level
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is higher, and it gets more intense the bigger the job. Thats why we get paid more
money than everybody elsebecause we have more responsibility. It can be fun but
also so draining. You are on the entire day. Youre not just taking pictures, youre
wearing all of these hats, and making sure that everyone is where theyre supposed
to be psychologically.
You want the vibe to be cool and drama-free on set. Delegating responsibility to the
right people and making them feel appreciated is important. If you want to have a
power trip on set, thats going to kill the vibe of everything. If theres a conversation I
need to have with the clientlike if theres a difference of opinion or a question about
how to solve a certain problemthen were going to have that conversation, but were
not going to have it in front of everyone.
My moms a doctorshe saves peoples lives. Making pictures is easy compared to that.
Thats the vibe that I go with. Lets just take some pictures. Lets go. Its not a life or
death situation.
What are your tips for someone starting out in commercial photography?
The rules have remained the same. Dont be a dick. Show up on time. Do your shoots
under budget. And show your work to as may people as you possibly can. And always
shoot what you love. Never lose sight of that. Keep in mind that this is a business and
there are a lot of people out there who will take your place.
Find names in mastheads of magazinesits an old technique, but it still works. Go to
industry parties. Meet people. You have to, its just not going to happen on its own. If
you dont, someone else will.
How do you use social media?
Social media is vitally important. On many levels, Facebook is still essential. I feel like
thats a staple. I think Instagram is super-important, especially right now for photographers. The rest of them, Im not very into.
At the core of everything should be the photographers website. The website should purely be work. Leading out from the hub, there are sites like Instagram and Twitter where
you are doing behind the scenes or telling a little bit more of the story about yourself.
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Im very careful about posting things that are controversial. I want you to know who
I am. Im telling the story that I want to tell and editing it the way that I want to edit
it. If theres something that I really want to show my friends, Im going to just text it.
Social media is something photographers need to do every day, but we need to maximize how efficiently we use these things. Its easy to get caught up and be on it all day.
How do you recommend dealing with the inevitable rejection that comes with being a
photographer?
I think it can never be taken personally. What I would say would be, again, show your
work to everyone you possibly can. Just because it doesnt happen at that point in time,
doesnt necessarily mean it was a rejection. Maintain those relationships. If you meet
with an agent, ask them what they think about your work. Do you think there are other
agents that would like my work right now? Agents see a lot of photography, and they
know what sells, so asking them cant possibly hurt.

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PROFILE
Buyer Interview
Featuring Cali Capodici
ased in Philadelphia, Cali Capodici is the Art Producer at Digitas

Health for the New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco offices. She
handles all photography, illustration, CGI and retouching requests, and works
with creative directors as they come up with visual concepts to find photographers and artists who are appropriate for each project.
What photography marketing tactics get your attention?
I work heavily on relationships, people that I know do
great work and work well with clients, but really interesting promos are always eye catching. I tell photographers when you are doing your marketing remember
that agency people get tons of promos each day, so
think outside the box and do something that would
stick out, dont be afraid to push the envelope. Also,
when you choose your image for your promo think of
something that someone would want to hang on their
wall at their desk.
What elements of typical photographers website do you
like or not like?
I love when I can see all the thumbnails and its very
user friendly. For photography agents I really like when
they have categories broken out for their artists so you
know who shoots food, lifestyle, interiors, etc.
Where do you typically go to f ind new commercial

photographers?
I love following and finding photographers on Instagram, I
also love when PDN puts out the 30 under 30. Im a member of a forum for Art Producers where people are always
giving advice or providing names of great photographers
they have worked with. Its a great way to try someone new,
but also get some background info on how they work.
What kind of images/style are you looking for?
I really look for every type of image, I love all styles of
photography. Typically what catches my eye is great use
of light, interesting angles or shots, if it has people I really
love when the shot looks natural, not posed or contrived.
Any advice for new photographers trying to get your
attention?
I keep going back to this, but I really believe its so important to build and nurture your relationships. Get out
there and network, and be genuine. This business is a lot
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about who you know and how you treat people. A photographers rep that I have known for years once said to
me people and the relationships are the real currency of
your life, its not always about money.
III
What advice would you have for new photographers
trying to break into the commercial market?
I would advise photographers to work really hard and
be nice to people. It sounds simple, but its true. So
many people are talented, but not everyone wants to
work hard. If you outwork the person to your right and
the person to your left you will be the one that gets
noticed. Its also really important to network like crazy.
Email people, ask questions, ask for advice. If you are
genuine and show ambition and curiosity it will take
you very far.
Do you have any dos and donts for photographers
when working with an agency?
I recommend being flexible. Things may change, requests and shot lists may get larger, but understand that
building that relationship with your producer and creatives at the agency is really important. Keep your cool,
but dont over promise something if you arent sure you
can get everything they are requesting.
When youre working with a new photographer, what are
some qualities that make you want to hire them again?
Im really big on relationships, so if we work together
and you really go the extra mile and are fun while doing
it, I will come back to you time and time again.
Photo by Gus Butera
I worked with a photographer recently on a really difficult shoot. He made it easy because he was so flexible,
and also very honest about what was attainable and
what he thought we may not be able to get. He never
said no off the bat, but offered solutions of ways we
might be able to get the best product. He was great
under pressure, and I genuinely enjoyed my time with
him. I will always think of him for jobs in the future
and will give him the highest recommendation if anyone asks me about him.
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Photo by Jeremy & Claire Weiss
Photo by Melanie Acevedo
Photo by Erik Umphery
31
PART III
Conclusion
s you can tell from the photographers we interviewed, a successful commercial photographer must wear many hats. The best have a
healthy mix of creative vision and savvy business sense
along with the ability to get along with a range of personalities. If youre inspired to take the leap into commercial photography, use their tips to start honing your
skills building a portfolio, and reaching out to clients.
Soon, youll be on your way to an exciting, challenging
and rewarding career. Ready, aim, shoot!
32
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TABLE of CONTENTS

What is Commercial Photography?

6 Takeaways for Staying Authentic in

Breaking Into Commercial Photography:

How to Make Your Marketing Hum:

How to Make Shoot Day a Success &

Integrating Your Personal Style into

Buyer Interview: Cali Capodici

2015 PhotoShelter, Inc

Dead simple online

READY TO GIVE IT A TRY?

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

What is Commercial Photography?

Types of Commercial Clients

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY: If you excel at taking crisp,

the style might not seem to translate to commercial

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: If taking photos of people

is your thing, commercial opportunities abound.

Here are some ideas of how to parlay different niches

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Pricing and Negotiating Commercial

>>What needs to be photographed? Will there

Negotiating Contracts & Licenses

equipment? Hire a stylist or rent props? Buy the crew

CREATIVE FEE OR DAY RATE: While this sounds like an

copyright to the images you create; a licensing fee is

Marketing & Pitching Commercial

A good place to start is with your own work. Chrissy

Whether its your website, portfolio or a mailed promo,

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

BUILD YOUR NETWORK

People make deals with people, says Kareem Black, a

If youre new to commercial photography, start-ups

You have to be brave, says Emiliano Granado, a

FIND A WAY TO STAND OUT

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

e talked to one of our favorite commercial

2 Make your dream client listand

Alexa suggests that commercial photographers make a list

No one likes cold calling. But for better or worse, it can

Storyboards give you and your client a direction. It also gives

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

5 Dont be afraid to outsource some

6 Make a commitment to developing

We cant say it enoughcreating a unique brand that

Photo by Alexa Miller

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

I tried to read some articles and talked to everyone I

say dark, moody and dramatic to describe their work.

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

When youre creating photography that

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

Photo by Chrissy Lynn

BREAKING INTO COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY